Cigarette lighter



Feb 22, was. A. M. ANDRws CIGARETTE LIGHTER Filed Aug. 17, 1934.-

REWS

\@ ARCHE M. AND

Patented Feb. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OF HQ E 8 Claims.

My invention relates to cigarette lighters and more particularly tolighters of the catalytic type. Catalytic lighters in which thecigarette is ignited by contact with a tablet, disc or pill of catalyticmaterial, such as platinum, which becomes hot through contact with thevapors of a volatile fuel, are well known. Such lighters have thedisadvantage that when the pill is exposed to the fuel vapors it soonbecomes saturated or flooded with the fuel and no longer glows properlywhen the cigarette is pressed against it.

The present invention provides a lighter which avoids the flooding ofthe catalytic member by closing the same oil from the fuel supply whenthe lighter is not in use. The particular object of the invention is toaccomplish this result and at the same time to provide a simple anddurable construction for such operation. Further, it is an object of myinvention to close oif the pill both above and below so as to avoid anypossibility of having the fuel vapors reach the catalytic member.

A further object of my invention is to provide a pill or disc of specialshape peculiarly adapted for lighting a cigarette. Ihis is accomplishedby forming the pill with a convex upper surface, and providing anaperture through the center of the pill. When the cigarette is pressedagainst the pill, this will act to spread the paper at the end of thetube outwardly and give a firm engagement so that suction on thecigarette will draw the material up through the pill without admixingair from the outside of the device. Such a construction also makes iteasier to obtain good contact between the cigarette and the pillsurface.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear more fullyfrom the following description, particularly when taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing which forms a part thereof.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows my lighter in side elevation in closed and inoperativeposition.

Fig. 2 is a cross section substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of my lighter in open, operative position.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross section of the upper part of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a cross section through a portion of a modified form of theinvention.

The primary feature of the construction of the present invention residesin the fact that the catalytic disc is mounted in a cup-like memberwhich is slidable, and that the access of fuel to the disc is controlledby such sliding movement. Particularly, the spring is located adjacentthe cup-like member and in the upper portion of the lighter, and issupported by a stem or supporting element which is movable bothlongitudinally and angularly with respect to the cup and which rests onthe bottom of the casing. In this manner there is no positive connectionbetween the cup and the supporting member, and any distortion which mayoccur in the use of the device cannot in any way damage or afiect thearrangement.

According to the invention, my lighter comprises an outer casingconsisting of a base mem ber 2 carrying at its upper end an externallythreaded member 4 which is engaged by an internally threaded cover 6. Aswill be seen in the drawing, the external appearance of the lighter isvery simple, and there are no objectionable protrusions of any sort whenthe lighter is carried in the pocket.

Within the base 2 is slidably arranged a cylinder or sleeve element 8which is open at the bottom. Seated in the top of the cylinder andsecured therein by a tight friction fit is a cuplike member 10 having anopening [2 centrally of its bottom and a nipple l4 formed as acontinuation of the opening 112. The upper portion 16 of the cup-likemember is arranged to be flush with the wall of the cylinder 8, and itsupper edges are turned over as at IS. The turned edge [8 engages theupper surface of a pill or disc 20 of catalytic material which, asshown, is provided with a central passage 22 and a convex upper surface24. The pill is held against downward movement by a spring ring 20 whichengages the inner walls of the cup.

The fuel is held by wicking 28 arranged in the lower part of thecylinder 8 around a stem or rod 30 which is provided at its lower endwith a disc 32 threaded on the end of the stem and serving as a guidemember to limit sideward movement of the stem within the base 2 and alsoas a stop to hold the wick in place on the stem. The lower end of stem30 rests on the bottom wall 3 of base 2. At the'upper end of the stem isa second disc 34 arranged just above an inwardly directed head 36 in thewall of cylinder 8. Disc 34 is fixed on stem 30, and around itsperiphery are provided three or more notches 38. The remainder of theperiphery of disc 34 engages the walls of cylinder 8 and is therebyguided in the cylinder.

On the upper surface of disc 34, and in a recess therein, is arranged awasher disc 40 of rubber or other suitable material, below the nipple l4and somewhat larger than the nipple. A conical coil spring 42 rests atone end on the disc 34 while its other and somewhat smaller endsurrounds and is guided by the nipple l4 and rests against the bottom ofcup l0.

Within the closed end I of the cover 6 is arranged a rubber disc 44. Itwill be noted that the internal diameter of the cover is somewhat largerthan the diameter of the cup Hi.

The operation of my lighter may be explained briefiy. When the lighteris in the operative position, shown in Figs, 3 to 5, the fuel from wick28 passes upwardly through notches 38 and nipple l4 to the lower side ofthe disc or pill 20. When the cigarette is pressed against the uppersurface of the pill, and the smoker draws on it, the fuel is drawn upthrough the pill and the pill becomes sufficiently hot to ignite thecigarette.

When the cigarette is ignited, the user puts the cover 6 into positionand presses down the cover until its threads engage the member 4. Thispressure causes the cylinder 8 to slide downwardly into the base 2against the action of spring 42. The height of the base and cover are soselected that when the cover is screwed down the member 8 will be forceddown until the end of the nipple I 4 engages the washer 40. This willeffectually seal the lower end of the cup ID and will prevent thepassage of fuel through the nipple to the pill. At the same time, thespring 42 will force the upper edge of cup 10 into engagement withwasher 44 and will seal the upper side of the disc 20. The catalyticdisc is then entirely out oif from the fuel. When this is accomplished,no flooding of the pill is possible and the life of the lighter isgreatly increased. Furthermore, the operation is much quicker andsimpler and a prolonged drawing on the cigarette is not required.

When the lighter is to be used again, the cover is removed and thespring #12 forces the cylinder 3 upward, thus removing the lower end ofthe nipple 14 from the washer and opening the same. There is now a freepassage through which fuel can flow from the wick 28 to the pill, and acigarette can be ignited.

It will be noted that there is no positive connection between the stem39 and disc 34, and the cylinder 8 and cup is, only the bead 36 limitingthese against outward or separating movement. It is quite evident thenthat any tilting of the stem 30 which may occur if the cylinder 8 isremoved from the base 2 to fill the lighter Will not do any permanentdamage, and that the stem will immediately be restored to its properposition by the spring 42. The positioning of the spring at the upperpart of the lighter and the use of a member resting on the bottom of thelighter thus avoids any danger of breaking any parts which mightotherwise be provided in fixed position, for this purpose.

The modified form shown in Fig. 6 operates in the same manner. Insteadof the stem 30, however, I provide a tube 39 which extends downwardlythrough the wick and has an open end resting on the bottom 3 of the baseand provided with a disc 32. This tube is provided at intervals withsmall slots 3! in its wall. The action of these slots is to aid inpassing the fuel from the lower end of the wick to the upper endthereof. The slots permit fuel vapors and a certain amount of fuel topass upward freely through the tube to the top of the wick near the disc34.

Otherwise, the operation of this arrangement is the same as that shownin Figs. 1 to 5.

While I have described herein some embodiments of my invention, I wishit to be clearly understood that I do not intend to limit myself therebyexcept within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cigarette lighter comprising a body portion, a sleeve slidablymounted in said body portion, an ignition disc containing catalyticmaterial mounted in said sleeve above the bottom thereof, means withinsaid sleeve and body portion to hold a vaporizable fuel, said sleevehaving a passage connecting said fuel holding means and said disc, andmeans operable by movement of said sleeve relative to said body portionto close said passage, said closing means including a valve seat memberfixed in said sleeve, a valve member slidable in said sleeve, and anelement secured to said. valve member to support the same extendingthrough the bottom of said sleeve and engaging the bottom of said bodyportion, and a spring between said valve seat and said Valve member.

2. A cigarette lighter comprising a body portion, a sleeve slidablymounted in said body portion, an ignition disc containing catalyticmaterial mounted in said sleeve above the bottom thereof, means withinsaid sleeve and body portion to hold a vaporizable fuel, said sleevehaving a passage connecting said fuel holding means and said disc, andmeansoperable by movement of said sleeve relative to said body portionto close said passage, said closing means including a valve seat memberfixed in said sleeve, a valve member comprising a disc within saidsleeve having a passage therethrough, said disc being slidable andtiltable relative to said sleeve, and an element secured to said discextending through the bottom of said sleeve and normally resting on thebottom wall of said body portion.

3. A cigarette lighter comprising a body portion, a sleeve slidablymounted in said body portion, an ignition disc containing catalyticmaterial mounted in said sleeve above the bottom thereof, means withinsaid sleeve and body portion to hold a vaporizable fuel, said sleevehaving a passage connecting said fuel holding means and said disc, andmeans operable by movement of said sleeve relative to said body portionto close said passage, said closing means including a valve seat memberfixed in said sleeve, a valve member slidable in said sleeve, and anelement secured to said valve member to support the same extendingthrough the bottom of said sleeve and engaging the bottom of said bodyportion, and a spring between said valve seat and said valve member, acup-like cover adapted to fit over and engage the upper end of saidsleeve, and means operable when the cover is depressed and the sleevehas been moved down towards closing position to hold said cover on saidbody portion.

4. A cigarette lighter comprising a body portion, a sleeve slidablymounted in said body portion, an ignition disc containing catalyticmaterial mounted in said sleeve above the bottom thereof, means withinsaid sleeve and body portion to hold a vaporizable fuel, said sleevehaving a passage connecting said fuel holding means and said disc, andmeans operable by movement of said sleeve relative to said body portionto close said passage, said closing means including a valve seat memberfixed in said sleeve, a valve member slidable in said sleeve, and anelement secured to said valve member to support the same extendingthrough the bottom of said sleeve and engaging the bottom of said bodyportion, and a spring between said valve seat and said valve member, acup-like cover adapted to fit over and engage the upper end of saidsleeve, and means operable when the cover is depressed and the sleevehas been moved down towards closing position to hold said cover on saidbody portion, said cover having means therein to seal the upper end ofsaid sleeve.

5. A cigarette lighter comprising a base portion, a sleeve slidable insaid base portion and extending thereabove, a catalytic disc mounted inthe upper part of said sleeve, a valve seat in said sleeve below saiddisc, a disc valve member having a passage therethrough slidably andtiltably arranged in said sleeve below the valve seat member, a springbetween said valve disc member and valve seat member, a tube connectedto the lower side of said valve disc member extending below the lowerend of the sleeve and engaging the bottom wall of the base member, saidtube having apertures in the walls thereof, a disc on said tube adjacentits lower end, porous material for hold ing a vaporizable fuel arrangedaround said tube and between the discs thereon, a cover adapted to fitover and engage the upper end of said sleeve, and means to hold saidcover on said base, movement of said cover to the position in which itis so held causing said sleeve to move downwardly so as to bring saidvalve seat against the valve disc and shut off the catalytic disc fromthe fuel holding material.

6. A cigarette lighter comprising a base portion, a sleevetelescopically connected with said base portion and relatively slidable,a cup structure secured to the upper end of the sleeve and enclosing adisc of catalytic material in the upper portion thereof, and having thelower portion provided with a nipple spaced downwardly from said discfor passage of fuel therethrough, a coiled 7 spring surrounding saidnipple and bearing upwardly thereagainst and means for closing saidnipple.

'7. A cigarette lighter comprising a base portion, a sleevetelescopically connected with said base portion and relatively slidable,a cup structure secured to the upper end of the sleeve and having a discof catalytic material enclosed in the upper portion thereof, means forholding said disc in place, said cup structure having a reduced nippleat the lower portion thereof and spaced downwardly from the disc for thepassage of fuel to said disc, means of communication between the baseportion and said nipple, a valve cooperating with the lower end of thenipple to close the same, and a coiled spring surrounding said nippleand interposed between said valve and nipple and bearing upwardlyagainst the nipple.

8. A cigarette lighter comprising a base portion, a sleevetelescopically connected with said base portion and relatively slidabl-etherein, a cup structure secured to the upper end of the sleeve andenclosing a disc of catalytic material in the upper portion thereof,means for holding said disc in place, said cup structure having a nippleat the lower portion thereof and spaced downwardly from the disc for thepassage of fuel tosaid disc, means within the sleeve and base portion tohold a vaporizable fuel and including a stem extending upwardly throughthe 7 base portion and resting on the bottom thereof, and a valve discconnected with the upper end of the stem and carried thereby in positionto bear against the open lower end of the nipple and close the same,said valve disc having openings therethrough for communication betweenthe fuel holding means and the nipple, and resilient means interposedbetween the valve disc and the nipple normally tending to separate thesame.

ARCHIE M. ANDREWS.

